James Patterson has been the planet’s bestselling author since 2001, with more than 300 million copies of his books in print and several television deals in the works. The thriller king’s background is in advertising, and he knows what audiences want. As well as the suspense that cemented his fame, he’s written successful children’s books, romances and historical fiction.
Despite his well-earned reputation for armchair adventure and easy reading, Patterson has a serious side, too. He’s an outspoken critic of Amazon, after his publisher was caught up in a dispute that famously meant Hachette writers were penalised by the online behemoth. ‘If Amazon is the new American way, then maybe it has to be changed,’ he said. And he’s been involved in major philanthropic donations to support independent booksellers and young readers in the US and the UK.
Find out the process behind his books, how he amassed the fortune fiction built, and how he plans to wield his impressive influence - as an author who outsells both J.K. Rowling and Dr Seuss.
James Patterson is in conversation with Rafael Epstein.